[NINJA GAIDEN: Master Collection] NINJA GAIDEN Σ Reviews

it was perfect perfect everything down to the last minute details

NGB is masterpiece but sigma is great

This game kicked me on the gut, stole my lunch money and ate my baby

the camera is bad , the control are bad, the enemies are bad , is this best game in ninja gaiden ! . why is even the story bad ? the only good thing is girls there , everythinf eles is bad

NINJA GAIDEN: Master Collection – NINJA GAIDEN Σ is a remastered reintroduction to one of the most intense and influential action games of the early 2000s. Originally released as NINJA GAIDEN for the Xbox and later revamped as NINJA GAIDEN Σ for the PlayStation 3, this version represents Team Ninja’s effort to refine the already punishingly precise gameplay for a new audience. As part of the Master Collection, the Steam release of NINJA GAIDEN Σ brings the title to PC gamers with updated visuals, smoother performance, and a fresh opportunity to experience one of the cornerstones of modern hack-and-slash action design. At its core, NINJA GAIDEN Σ is a fast-paced, high-stakes action game that places players in the role of Ryu Hayabusa, a stoic ninja warrior from the fabled Dragon Lineage. The plot follows a standard but serviceable arc of revenge and supernatural warfare, with Ryu battling through demons, soldiers, and mythical beasts to recover a stolen artifact and defend the honor of his clan. While the story is not the game’s strongest point, it functions well as a backdrop for the relentless combat and serves as a bridge between the game’s bombastic set pieces and atmospheric environments. Where NINJA GAIDEN Σ truly excels is in its fluid and brutally demanding combat system. Every encounter is a test of reaction time, mastery of combos, and strategic use of Ryu’s diverse arsenal. The game features a wide array of weapons—each with its own move set, rhythm, and utility—including Ryu’s iconic Dragon Sword, twin katanas, nunchaku, war hammers, and more. Mastering a weapon isn't just about learning its attacks but understanding enemy patterns and deciding when to dodge, block, or go in for a punishing counterattack. The inclusion of projectile weapons and ninpo magic adds additional layers to the gameplay, rewarding players who blend offense and defense seamlessly. Unlike many modern action titles that lean on forgiving difficulty curves, NINJA GAIDEN Σ remains unapologetically challenging. Enemies are aggressive, frequently attacking in groups and punishing players for even minor mistakes. Boss fights, in particular, are brutal affairs that demand pattern recognition and quick reflexes. The learning curve is steep, but fair, and the satisfaction of conquering a particularly difficult fight is unmatched. The game's insistence on precision makes it incredibly rewarding for players who enjoy mastery-based gameplay, where progress is earned, not given. In terms of changes from the original NINJA GAIDEN and NINJA GAIDEN Black, Σ introduces a number of adjustments that both refine and polarize. Most notably, the game incorporates Rachel as a playable character, offering a slightly different gameplay experience with her heavier, slower combat style. Some purists criticize these segments for disrupting the game’s pace, as Rachel’s moveset lacks the versatility and fluidity of Ryu’s. Additionally, Σ rebalances certain enemy placements and item distributions, and while these changes make the game more accessible in places, they also soften some of the razor-sharp edges that defined the earlier versions. The Master Collection port of NINJA GAIDEN Σ brings the game into HD with respectable results. Visual improvements are noticeable in texture sharpness and overall resolution, and the game runs well on modern hardware with a stable frame rate. That said, the PC port is fairly bare-bones, offering limited graphics settings, no support for ultrawide resolutions, and no mouse and keyboard input—controller is required. It’s a competent, functional version, but it lacks the polish expected from a modern remaster. Nonetheless, the game’s stylized art direction, atmospheric lighting, and smooth animation have aged surprisingly well, especially during combat where responsiveness and clarity are more important than photorealism. Audio-wise, NINJA GAIDEN Σ delivers an appropriately dramatic mix of traditional Japanese instrumentation and hard-hitting electronic and rock tracks. The sound design enhances the intensity of battles, from the swish of a katana slicing through air to the brutal crack of bones during a finisher. Voice acting is typical of early-2000s action games—campy and occasionally wooden—but it complements the game’s over-the-top tone. The game doesn’t take itself too seriously, and its occasional cheesiness feels more like a product of its time than a flaw. Beyond the main story, NINJA GAIDEN Σ includes a variety of challenge modes and unlockables that extend its replayability. Players can dive into mission mode to test their skills in wave-based enemy encounters or go back through the campaign on higher difficulty settings, which radically alter enemy behavior and placement. These extra modes are not just tacked-on content; they serve as endgame challenges for those who truly want to master the game’s mechanics and achieve high rankings. Despite being part of a trilogy collection, NINJA GAIDEN Σ arguably remains the standout title of the three. It strikes the best balance between raw difficulty, mechanical precision, and stylistic flair. It lacks some of the mechanical complexity of NINJA GAIDEN II and doesn’t suffer from the drastic design shifts of NINJA GAIDEN 3. For those who never played the original, Σ offers a streamlined but still punishingly hard entry into the series. For returning fans, it’s a nostalgic revisit to one of the most skill-based action games ever created. In the end, NINJA GAIDEN Σ remains a landmark in action game design. Its commitment to fast, technical combat and its unforgiving difficulty curve make it a game that demands—and deserves—your attention. The Master Collection port doesn’t reinvent it, but it preserves what made the game great and makes it accessible to a new generation of players. For fans of intense action, deep combat systems, and games that reward persistence and precision, NINJA GAIDEN Σ is still a must-play. Rating: 8/10

awful fucking game i hate this shit i fucking hate you Ninja Gaiden i fucking hate Ayane and Ryu and Rachel and even Kasumi shes not in the gamebut fuck you Cuckumi and Hayate can fuck himself its peak play it

Before fans or anyone who like this game start sending curses or throw rotten tomatoes at me, let me explain. I like this game and i am planning to get more achivements in it, but i won't recommend it to anyone without detailed review. Let's start with good part: Gameplay - i have never seen such aggresive enemies with movements identical to your character. Fast paced combat. To master it at least to level of NORMAL difficulty you need to spend 20 hours. Replayability - every time you start a game on higher difficulty, enemies and bosses are changing and new ones appearing. Items location are also affected, Additionaly you have ninja trials mode, where you can try to beat enemies with specific weapons or under conditions. Game provides survival mode, where you can master specific weapon with different enemy type. Now, let's move to weak point: Game plot. Designer of this game took John D. Carmack phrase regarding plot in game too seriously. It exists sometimes. Sometimes you can watch cutscenes where train driver will die or ninja is getting down by high voltage lines without getting burnt... At end you can also enjoy a romantic conversation between Ruy and Rachel. [spoiler]No, he just turn in falcon and flyes away[/spoiler] Characters. I can name only 1 character with background story ([spoiler]shopkeeper[/spoiler]). For others... Ruy is going after sword and revenge, while Doku is evil spirit that wants world domination ? Rachel is hunting fiends to find her sister ? Evil Emperor is just EVIL. Thats it. And we also have Gamov. Who is this guy? Where he came from and why he is working for EVIL emperor? And if i correctly understood, his time in game was increased due to Rachel gameplay. In other words, in original NG you just met this guy [spoiler]and he dies at end[/spoiler]. Except this guy, this game have Marbus, Alma, Nicchae and Ishtaros. How i figured out their names? I played ninja trials. It was very HARD to make at least SMALL introduction cutscene to each one with SOME explanation. Same here for regular enemies or common bosses. I figured out their names after ninja trials. And another major weak point is LOGIC. Every game have it's logic flows, but SHOOTING TANK OR HELICOPTER FROM BOW ?! A REGULAR BOW! Ok, you have explosive and steel arrows, that can PENETRATE A TANK ARMOUR. I assume someone got familiar with DMC 2 Infested Chopper and Tank... Except TANK PENETRATION this game have BOOBIES mechanics. You can check how they giggle during Rachel gameplay or game engine scenes ([spoiler]It was very funny to look at Rachel when Doku captured her... They are giggling EVERY move[/spoiler]) And another suggestion - DON'T BUY DELUXE EDITION. It is a waste of money, spent your money on regular master collection edition.

Great game, very challenging but it has a cool story and encourages progression

For PC this is the best way to play og ng 1 and even though ya it adds some unnecessary garbage like the Rachel missions and the motorcycle enemies it's still leagues better than sigma 2 since the enemies are actually aggressive and don't stand and stare at you. Thankfully there are some good additions like the dual swords, quick healing, and more challenge missions in the ninja trials that are pretty fun. The graphical upgrade from the original is actually really nice however and you can tell that when this came out back in the day they actually used the ps3's hardware to their advantage. It is kinda lame that a lot of the unique little puzzles in the original and black are replaced with kind of half-assed recycled bosses and enemy arenas but it's not that bad. I will say if you have an Xbox one/Series X just go to the marketplace n buy Black though since it's super cheap on the marketplace.

Generally speaking, NG1 is one of the most mechanically involving action games I've played. There is a titanic amount of options, combos and tricks to learn. And you're gonna need all of it, because this game does not pull any punches. Even on normal you are going to get your face pushed in numerous times, and the higher difficulties can become outright absurd in what they demand of you. On the other hand, it is also incredibly satisfying to learn and get good at the game. On the other hand, there IS a lot of jank. The camera will feel like it is actively trying to sabotage you, and even getting good at the handling never quite makes it feel good. Some of the difficulty will feel very artificial at first glance, and the difficulty curve if you don't use some online ressources basically ends up being the overhang to a sharp cliff. A lot of the bosses are outright bad or at the very least massively janky (It is no coincidence that most guides will simply recommend a cheese strat for each boss). And some of the achievements are outright boring busywork (Getting a 100 kills with random weapons or using random Ninpo, for example). If you like stuff like DMC but more focused on technical execution than style, and don't mind the initial struggles of getting into the game due to difficulty, this is still an absolute gem.